TUCSON - Garret Chachere has been named to coach inside receivers on Mike Stoops' Arizona staff, adding an assistant with a solid background on both sides of the ball in an 18-year career.

Chachere (pronounced sash-er-RAY) comes to UA from Memphis, where he was special teams coordinator for two years. He previously handled similar duties at Tulane from 1999 to 2006 while serving as linebackers coach.

"We're excited to have Garrett join our program. He brings a strong coaching résumé and I know he is excited to begin working with our players," Stoops said. "He will bring great enthusiasm to our program and continue to develop our inside receivers."

"From afar in the coaching world, everyone has recognized what great things Mike Stoops has accomplished here at Arizona, and the potential of this program," Chachere said. "Working for Mike is the most important reason why I wanted to come to Arizona. Secondly, for me and my family, having an opportunity to experience a new part of the country and take on the challenge of working in the Pac-10 is something we could not pass up," he said.

In 2008, Chachere helped the Tigers rank 22nd nationally in punt return defense at 5.68 yards per play, and also posted top 45 marks in net punting (38th) and kickoff return defense (42nd). His place kicker, Matt Reagan, was 8-for-11 on field goals and led the team in scoring the past two years. He earned two C-USA Player of the Week honors. Punter Brent Sutherland dropped 26 punts inside opponents' 20 yard-line in the past two years.

In 2007, Chachere inherited a unit that included 2006 C-USA All-Freshman honoree Matt Reagan, who had a stellar rookie season kicking for the Tigers. Chachere also had the talents of junior college punter Brent Sutherland and return specialist Michael Grandberry.

Memphis return man Michael Grandberry set nearly every UM kickoff return record in 2007, including single-game yardage (168 vs. USM), single-season returns (59), single-season yardage (1,286) and career 100-yard games (8). He also holds the Tigers' all-time records for returns with 112 and for yardage with 2,401 yards.

Chachere spent eight years (1999-2006) at his alma mater, Tulane, where he coached the Green Wave linebackers and special teams. He was also involved in recruiting Louisiana, Texas, Florida and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In 2002, the Green Wave received an invitation to the Hawai'i Bowl and defeated host Hawai'i for the title.

During his stint at Tulane, Chachere helped develop linebacker Anthony Cannon, who was drafted by the Detroit Lions. Cannon earned first-team All-C-USA honors in 2005 and logged four-straight 100-tackle seasons en route to ranking third all-time in C-USA in tackles.

In addition, Chachere worked on a daily basis with the Tulane Athletics Academic Services department to monitor the academic progress of all Green Wave football student-athletes.

A running back for the Green Wave, Chachere played two seasons for then head coach Mack Brown and Greg Davis and was a member of the 1987 Independence Bowl Team. He helped recruit running back Matt Forte, who went on to the NFL, as well as potential 2009 draftee Troy Kropog, an offensive lineman for the Green Wave.

A New Orleans native, Chachere began his coaching career as a student assistant for Tulane in 1991 while completing his bachelor's degree in communications.

After graduation he moved to Pennsylvania for three years and coached defensive backs at Cheney State (1992), Bloomsburg (1993) and Bucknell (1994) before returning to Louisiana and serving as linebackers coach at Nicholls State from 1995-97.

During his tenure in Thibodaux, La., the Colonels advanced to the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA national playoffs, and at the time, were part of the biggest season turnarounds in NCAA Division I history.

Chachere left the Colonels and moved north to Monroe, La., in 1998 to coach tight ends at Northeast Louisiana (now UL-Monroe) before heading back to New Orleans. While in Monroe, he worked with then assistant Sonny Dykes, UA's current offensive coordinator.

"I enjoyed working with Sonny at Northeast Louisiana and I believe I can learn a lot from him again at Arizona. He is very well-respected in the coaching community and it will be a privilege to help him coach the talented players that this program has in place," Cachere said.

He is currently the chairman of the program committee for the American Football Coaches Association and a frequent convention speak on offensive, defensive and special teams play. In 2002, Chachere was selected by the NFL for a coaching internship with the Seattle Seahawks. He also has written articles for American Football Coaches Association publications.